48 FASHIONABLE HOURS IN NEW YORK WITH ANTHONY NADER

With New York Fashion Week last week, honourary resident and NYFW hairstylist, Anthony Nader, tells GRAZIA what to do in the city that never sleeps (particularly during Fashion Week).

Ask Anthony Nader about New York City, and his face lights up. For him, it’s his second home – he actually owns an apartment in the West Village – and a place of nonpareil creativity, rich in character and soul. Every Fashion Week, Anthony makes the trek back to the Big Apple (this time, for Tom Ford, Oscar de la Renta and Michael Kors), and with scissors in hand and stars in his eyes, is back home. Here, 48 stylish hours with the man who knows it best – or very, very well, at the least.

DAY #1

AM

BREAKFAST AT CAFE CLUNY ON WEST 4. I just order the omelette, it’s pretty basic but I love it there ‘cause I can read the paper and sip on my latte. Then from there…

I WILL DUCK AROUND THE CORNER TO MY FAVOURITE MAGAZINE STORE, CASA MAGAZINES. Muhammad, who owns the store, is an institution. A lot of the fashion crowd go there. It’s where I buy all my magazines. It’s the smallest store but they have the best magazines on the island of Manhattan.

LUNCH TIME I GO TO JACK’S WIFE FREDA OR THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER, right near me as well. I like to keep it casual. I’ll take a magazine with me – people that know me know that I love my magazines, so I always carry around a magazine.

THEN I LOVE WALKING AROUND WEST CHELSEA, which is a gallery district. Lots of new buildings are going up there – we’re talking multi-million dollar apartments there now – which is along the High Line that goes up to 34th street. I love walking around the gallery district there.

THAT’S WHERE I GOT THE INSPIRATION FOR MY RAW SALON. It’s kind of a Tribeca loft meets West Chelsea. I love the gallery district. And you just kind of mosey in and out of the art galleries.

MY FAVOURITE STORE IN WEST CHELSEA IS THE COMMES DE GARÇON STORE. That, in itself, is just an incredible sight to see. It’s just so cool; the whole shop is so cool (the interiors, architecture, etc). And the shop assistants are just so cool as well. They’re like walking pieces of art. They are. I’m really jealous that I can’t dress like that.

CDG Installation with five specially made silhouettes in white wadding based on the FW17 show at the CDG Shop 520 W22nd street

FROM THERE I LOVE WALKING ALONG 9TH AND 10TH AVENUE in West Chelsea. I find that really inspiring.

FOR SUNSET – I GO OVER AND MEET FRIENDS AT THE WHYTE HOTEL IN WILLIAMSBURG. And then I always go to this place called, Walter’s, which is also in Williamsburg. Very local, I go there a lot with my friends that live in Williamsburg and the drinks are really good. Williamsburg is very cool, very real.

THEN AT NIGHT, THE STANDARD HOTEL to meet up with friends, upstairs at the top, especially in the warmer months when the rooftop is open.

HANDY HINT: Always have a Nutella crepe. They’re famed for their crepes on the rooftop. I go there for a Nutella crepe and a catch up with friends. That’s pretty well how I would end my night.

PM
IF YOU WANT TO CELEB SPOT, GO TO THE MERCER HOTEL. I’ll go to Mercer Kitchen to have lunch – you can guarantee you will always sit next to someone famous. When I was there last, I was sitting next to Mert of Mert and Marcus. After lunch I would go down to Bond Street,

THERE’S A REALLY GREAT CAFÉ THERE CALLED THE SMILE – a lot of celebrities do interviews down there, ‘cause it’s so low key and it’s really dark. It’s very cool. There’s a really cool store next door called Oak NYC, and the architecture in that street alone is just so beautiful, so cool. I love Bond Street.

THEN I FIND MYSELF AT GEMMA, a restaurant at The Bowery and you can definitely count on me having the margarita pizza there, even if it is only 3 o’clock at this stage, and we’ve just finished lunch. I’m an eater. I eat and drink coffees everywhere. I’d head back up to the West Village. I walk and get the subway.

I LOVE BARNES & NOBLE IN TRIBECA and looking at all the magazines and not paying for them!

AND THEN I TEND TO GO PAST CELEBRITIES BUILDINGS, you know, to just have one of them just coincidentally stand out the front while I pass.

THERE’S A REALLY, REALLY GREAT RAG & BONE STORE IN TRIBECA NOW AS WELL, and I love to check out the J. Crew store there as well. It’s more boutique, individual pieces. I really, really, really love Tribeca.

IF I’M HOME BEFORE 3:55PM, I ALWAYS GO TO BIG GAY ICE CREAM, which is on the corner in the West Village. I get the Salty Pimp, which is a salty caramel soft serve, and literally at 3:55pm because at 4 o’clock, I’m watching the Ellen show! I’ll always have a Salty Pimp while watching Ellen.

I’LL GO TO THE GYM AT EQUINOX, right near me, and then catching up with friends…

I LOVE THE SPOTTED PIG. I get pizza again! Cause I’m just so thin, aren’t I? If I’m with friends and they’re out of towners, we would venture to The Maritime Hotel, in Chelsea, which has really good drinks. I don’t have a favourite drink, they’re all really good. Then I’m in bed by midnight and it’s a new day.